Ofgem approves new rules to proactively manage connections queue

We’re delighted to confirm that Ofgem has approved our request to proactively manage the connections queue, one of the key components of our five-point plan to speed up grid connections and evolve our network to make it fit for the future, deliver net zero, and keep clear power flowing across Great Britain.

How is this being achieved?

From 27 November, we’ll be contacting all customers with an existing or in-flight connection agreement to give the option of either having queue management milestones applied to their existing connection date or submitting a modified application where queue management milestones will apply to a new connection date.

Projects that aren’t progressing against agreed milestones will be terminated following the approval of code CMP376 – Inclusion of Queue Management process within the Connection and Use of System Code (CUSC). 

This means projects progressing along agreed milestones will be able to connect quicker due to freed-up capacity in the queue from the termination of speculative applications.

Proactive Queue Management

To announce these changes, Fintan Slye, Director of the ESO, wrote to our connection’s customers stating: “We will be uncompromising in our approach to driving out and pushing back projects that cannot meet their connection date, paving the way for more viable projects that have a real chance of plugging into the grid, energising the UK economy.”

View the customer letter

Immediate actions we're taking

We have instructed DNV, an independent engineering consultancy to provide an independent report of projects connecting, before November 2025 that are deemed to be high risk and may not meet their contracted connection date. If these projects cannot show they’re ready to connect we will take action as per the powers set out in CMP376.

Are you a customer in the connections queue?

To identify key dates your project needs to meet to keep your place in the connections queue, use our milestone calculator. 

If you have any questions about these changes, contact us here. Our Customer Contract Managers will be on hand to help and set out what these changes mean to you.

Our five-point plan to accelerate grid connections

In February 2023, we announced our five-point plan of tactical initiatives to help improve the connections process in the short-term. The inclusion of queue management milestones into all connection contracts is just one part of our set of actions to accelerate connections to the transmission network.

 Five-point plan